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Book Review: Cryptozoology for Beginners (Codex Arcanum, Book 2) by Euphemia Whitmore with Matt Harry, illustrated by Juliane Crumb

Cryptozoology for Beginners by Euphemia Whitmore with Matt Harry, illustrated by Juliane Crumb

Inkshares, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-1947848825

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

The first thing you should know is that I have a cryptid-loving kid whose interest goes way back to when he was very little, so I am always on the lookout for books about cryptids. Usually those end up being some kind of nonfiction guide (such as Tales of the Cryptids by Kelly Milner Halls), maybe paired with a little background or local legend, or an adventure novel with kids either hunting for (or being hunted by) a particular creature (such as Roland Smith’s Chupacabra). In Cryptozoology for Beginners, we get a little of both, with the added element of a dash of magic.

That’s right, magic. Cryptozoology for Beginners is the second book in the Codex Arcanum series. The first book, Sorcery for Beginners,  which I have not had the opportunity to read, follows  Owen Macready and his friends Perry and Trish through adventures in magic that begin with bookseller and sorceress Euphemia Whitmore giving Owen the book Sorcery for Beginners when he ducks into her shop to escape from a bully, Brian Ferreti whose millionaire father turns out to be the book’s evil nemesis. This book is told in third person from Owen’s point of view and includes illustrated pages from his new grimoire, so that the reader is going through the learning process with Owen.

Cryptozoology for Beginners picks up in time for the teens’ summer vacation.  Owen and Perry have become a couple, and the book is told in third person from Trish’s point of view. An organization called the Euclideans, who seek to destroy magic, which is in direct conflict with the sorcerers, has started kidnapping cryptids for scientific experimentation. Euphemia Whitmore returns to ask for their help in collecting (or capturing) the remaining cryptids for a “zoo” that will be a safe haven for them, away from the Euclideans. They are in a race to preserve these rare, frequently legendary creatures before the Euclideans can capture them for their own nefarious purposes.

Perry, Owen, and Trish are joined by Brian, the bully from the previous book, who wants to redeem himself, under the supervision of slightly older Jacinda Greyeyes (who is very clear that she is a member of the Flying Dust First Nation), for an adventure in an RV that leads them all over the country tracking down and capturing such creatures as jackalopes, the altamaha-ha, and the chupacabra, with the help of an illustrated, informative guide to cryptids provided by Euphemia Whitmore, Cryptozoology for Beginners. As in the first book, fully illustrated pages from the guide are included at strategic points in the book, so the reader learns about the appearance and habits of the jackalope as the group is chasing after one. As the Euclideans gain ground on the sorcerers, Trish, Perry, Owen, Brian, and Jacinda find themselves also traveling across the Atlantic to help save the Loch Ness Monster, the sphinx, and many others. They finally find themselves in the heart of the Euclideans’ headquarters, where they see some of the results of the experimentation firsthand, and it’s heartbreaking. The plot moves fairly quickly, and we see a fair amount of character development in the prickly Trish and the obnoxious Brian.

Trish, feeling somewhat like a third wheel at the beginning of the book, starts falling for Jacinda and discovers her feelings are returned. She gains confidence and becomes more of a leader. Brian, who’s pretty rough around the edges, strained my ability to believe he could be redeemed, as he made a number of racist and dismissive comments about Jacinda’s indigenous identity, but he did commit some selfless acts, and become slightly more bearable. There was definitely growth to his character, but I hope there’s a third book that gives him opportunities to continue to change. Owen and Perry don’t have a lot of character development going on, although Owen makes a discovery about his mother that requires him to make some uncomfortable decisions.

But what I love most about this book is the cryptids and the seriousness they’re taken with in the story, even though it’s fiction. The pages devoted to the various creatures are well designed and illustrated, and readers who haven’t encountered cryptids before will be pulled into the story as the learn something about them at the same time as the kids.

While the romance might not appeal to all middle-grade readers, many will enjoy the adventure. For cryptid-loving kids, it can stand alone, but it’s better if read after Sorcery for Beginners.  Recommended for middle-grade readers who enjoy creature guides and adventure with some fantasy in the mix.

Posted on December 22, 2019 by , Reply

Book Review: The Old One and The Sea by Lex H. Jones, illustrated by Liam ‘Pais’ Hill

The Old One and The Sea by Lex H. Jones, illustrated by Liam ‘Pais’ Hill

Sinister Horror Company, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-1912578160

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition

The Old One and The Sea introduces children to a now-famous author and one of his most famous creations, reimagining the childhood of Howard “Howie”  Phillips Lovecraft and his first encounter with the extraordinary. Taking place just after World War I, in the coastal town of Innsmouth, Howie’s father is missing in action, and he and his mother have a close relationship, although he is curious about the world around him and prone to take risks. With no other children and few other adults around he has preserved a fearless sense of wonder in the world that most older children and adults grow out of,. His only companion, Mr. Derleth, is a brusque former soldier who has seen terrible battles, and studies the sea and the stars, and the mysteries he sees in them. One night, when Mr. Derleth has noted that the stars are in an unusual alignment, a black stone pillar rises out of the sea, and Howie decides to explore it. Once he’s reached the top, he accidentally summons a great creature from the sea: surprised, he falls off the pillar and into the water. The creature saves him, and when Howie really looks at the creature, instead of seeing a monster, he sees the tendrils that saved him flowing from the round head of the creature, and black, endless eyes that reflect the stars. Howie names the creature Oolu, and a strange friendship begins between the lonely boy and the equally lonely creature that has risen from the sea. Both are grieving: Howie for his father, and Oolu for his friends in the city of Rlyeh, lost to the bottom of the sea. Jones’ depiction of grief here, especially the grief of a child, rings very true. It’s there, but without making the story entirely about grief.

Then sailors discover that Oolu has risen, and recognize him as Cthulhu, the Great Old One, a monster who destroyed their ship, and decided to attack him. Howie runs to Oolu, chased by his mother and Mr. Derleth, to face the sailors. Mr. Derleth, who still has his military skills, runs the sailors off, terrified. Mr. Derleth notes to Howie, “Fear can be a powerful motivator”. Howie makes a plan to use his imagination to write stories about Oolu, using the name Mr. Derleth used, Cthhulu, but to make the stories scary to keep people like the sailors from ever attacking his friend again.

This is not a frightenting book. It is a tale of friendship, loyalty, grief, love, and family that honors wonder and imagination.Lex H. Jones has given us a gift in this idyllic fictional portrait of Lovecraft, reminding us that he, too, was once a child with curiosity and imagination. There couldn’t be a gentler introduction to the Cthulhu mythos than this book. In fact, it is entirely possible for a child who has no knowledge of Lovecraft of Cthulhu or even any interest in horror to enjoy this delightful, fantastical story.  The illustrations by Liam ‘Pais’ Hill, in pastel colors with simple, cartoony line drawings, add to this impression. In all honesty, The Old One and The Sea is the most refreshing children’s book (and I read a lot of children’s books) I’ve read this year.

Jim McLeod of Ginger Nuts of Horror wrote a nice introduction to this book on when horror lovers can best introduce the genre to their children, and how, and on how much availabilty of children’s horror fiction (and fiction that uses horror concepts and tropes) has changed, It has changed quite a bit over the last 15-20 years, and that’s been exciting to see. Lex Jones has added a lovely title to that genre that I hope both librarians and parents will share with the children they encounter. Recommended.

 

 

Posted on October 22, 2019 by , 1 comment

Book Review: Monsterland by James Crowley

Monsterland by James Crowley

G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-0399175893

Available:  Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition

 

It’s Halloween, and Charlie Cooper is missing his best friend, Billy, who was lost in the river the previous year.  Too dispirited to trick-or-treat, he wanders into the woods, to hide out in an abandoned army base where they used to play. When he sees a figure that looks like Billy, he follows him through the base and into a graveyard he’s never noticed, down into a crypt that leads to a tunnel, and discovers that he has not been following his friend: he has followed a vampire, into Monsterland, an unmapped territory where the U.S. government has contained the world’s monsters. The vampire is Prime Minister of Monsterland, tasked with keeping the peace between all the factions and creatures. Learning that Charlie is looking for his “lost” friend, the Prime Minister sends him on a journey with Frankenstein’s Monster that will lead Charlie to a place where he might find Billy, if he’s lucky.

Charlie’s journey with the Monster is eventful, with kidnappings, near-drownings, robberies, and dramatic rescues. He meets various types of monsters, who are fascinated to find a live boy in their country.  While some characters are well-drawn, especially the Monster, Crowley spends several chapters at the beginning introducing Charlie, with the result that, while Crowley does some terrific world-building, the story is too jam-packed with action and new characters to do everything (and everyone) justice. The door is definitely left open for a sequel– there are many characters I wanted to know more about, and the overall idea that government budget cuts are undermining control of Monsterland is intriguing.

What is most interesting, and most fully developed, is Charlie’s relationship with the Monster, who is not just uninterested but actively hostile to the idea of traveling with Charlie. Charlie insists that nobody should be referred to as Monster or Creature all the time, and helps the Monster choose a name (the discussion, which involves his annoyance with Mary Shelley, leads to the Monster being named Franklin Prometheus), something that significantly changes their relationship. Watching them interact is one of the most interesting parts of the book.

I was bothered by the plot being driven by Charlie’s need to look for Billy. It is pretty clear from the very beginning of the book that Billy isn’t just lost, and I didn’t like that the Prime Minister and all the monsters encouraged Charlie’s magical thinking and the idea that Billy was tangible. Magical thinking is a part of grief you want children to work through, and Charlie is protected from having to do this. Crowley did a nice job of depicting Charlie’s grief before he entered Monsterland, but once there, the possibility of finding Billy made it an adventure.

I wouldn’t call this horror so much as a monster-laden fantasy adventure, but there is certainly potential for it to go darker if there is a sequel. It is a great choice for monster-loving kids. Recommended.

Posted on October 6, 2019 by , Reply
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